Nikita Averin

Just got back home after seeing a preview of Lukas Moodysson's highly anticipated movie, "Lilja 4-ever". Having seen the brilliant trailer and reading interviews with Moodysson, I expected to see a movie that was disturbing and gripped the viewers emotions. The first part of my expectations was correct, the second wasn't. Perhaps watching movies makes you numb, since many people in the audience were crying, but the experience wasn't as intense as I hoped it would be. Don't get me wrong here, the things that Lilja (brilliantly played by Oksana Akinshina) had to live through were horrible. But I never got the feeling that I was in the movie. My position was always only an observer - sort of like watching a documentary. Moodysson's style of writing and directing is suitable for stories such as the ones in his previous work (heavily dialogue-packed), but when it comes to put a character's emotions on screen, Moodysson's limitations are painfully obvious. In "Requiem for a Dream" (2000), director Darren Aronofsky succeeded to throw you right inte the hell that the characters experience by not only relying in great actors, but enhancing them with cinematography, editing, sound and music (believe me, I was shaking when I got out from that movie and wasn't sure that I wanted to experience that again, although I loved it). Moodysson only uses the actors and the great soundtrack and never visualizes the script he's written. The second problem of the movie, is that it never kicks off. It appears to be standing still on the same place where it begins. Every time that you feel that the story might evolve, it gets back to its original state. Sure, life works this way, but it only made "Lilja 4-ever" seem repetetive and long. I know that my comment may seem negative, but this is only a display of my unsatisfaction. Akinshina is, as told, fantastic and the story is very unsettling and makes you think of what really goes on in this crazy world we live in. Things right in front of us, that you don't see (or don't want to see). Wort seeing and thinking of, but do yourselves a favour and lower your expectations; that way will be more rewarding for you. Rating: 7/10

Nazli, an 18 year old girl with Persian origin, tries to break away from her father who has decided that she should marry her older cousin. She falls in love with a Swedish guy, something that her father dislikes and tries to prevent. Director Reza Baggher has said that this movie was inspired by "Romeo and Juliet", but the parallels are few and the differences aren't especially good either. Sara Sommerfeld does her best to help this mostly hopeless script, but that doesn't help. How much I tried to find good things in this movie, I couldn't and gave up. The directing is poor and the cinematography is rather bad. And what did the title ("Wings of Glass" translated into English) have to do with the happenings? Rating: 4/10

A couple of times, I have pointed out the best movie in Sweden in 2000. First I thought that "Tillsammans" was the best, then I saw "Före stormen" and found that one even better. Now I know how wrong I've been and that there can't be any better than this right now - I've seen "Sleepwalker".

Ulrik Hansson lives with his wife Monica and their two children in a house, he has a good job and everything seems normal. But Ulrik has had sleeping disorders and has walked while being asleep, something he takes medicine for. One morning he wakes up covered with blood in his own bed and his wife and his children are missing. What's happened to them? And who has done it? Has Ulrik been doing things to them in his sleep?

Horror/thrillers don't come often in the Swedish film industry and it's a delight that this one is as good as it is. The directing by Runeborg (his debut!) is brilliant, probably the best I've seen in a long time. The script is clever, thrilling and even gets you to the wrong lead a several times. The acting is good, too (Novotny is surprisingly good) and for the first time ever in Sweden, a movie is superbly shot. Sharp photography, interesting camera angles; you name it, this movie has it. Even excellent editing.

Promising to the future. I hope to see more movies created by this crew.

Rating: 8.5/10